If Castle Were on HBO
by zashaxander
Summary: My M Rated Castle Oneys... Requests welcomed but I may chicken out of some things. I own nothing, and I take ideas from chats with you on twitter!
1. Fight

Because he broke her fucking vase. And it was her favourite! Oney based loosely on themes from 5x17 and earlier in season 5. It's a fight. It has a happy ending. Slightly OOC, someone requested this kind of thing so feel free to skip it if that's not what you like.

* * *

FIGHT

"It's not just the vase, Castle," Kate sighed.

"Varse. Not Vayse."

"Do you always have to correct _everything_? Can't there just be two ways to say it?"

"Sorry! I just... writer's habit."

"Whatever. Fine. You're a writer. You're famous. You're a nine year old on a sugar rush and you can get away with it because you're cute and charming and ruggedly handsome and- ugh!" Kate ended in a scream of frustration.

"Look, I said I was sorry! Why can't you accept that?"

"Because sorry isn't a magic word, Castle! It doesn't just fix everything!"

"Well what else is the matter, then?" His voice softened. "Are you.. Look, hon, is it your time of the month?"

"Fuck you!" Kate screamed. "No! That is such a pathetic guy thing to do. Blame hormones, blame 'women things'. It's not the fucking hormones, _Ricky_, it's YOU! YOU are why I'm angry!"

"And what the hell am I supposed to have done?!" They were both yelling now, standing opposite each other in Rick's apartment.

"Nothing! Everything! I don't... I'm putting my heart and soul into this relationship but you're just the same kid you've always been. And the fact that you broke my favourite vase while playing video games in my apartment... You behave like a teenager! And I know NOTHING about you!"

"We're still on _that_? Jesus, Kate, didn't we talk? Didn't you agree that you KNOW me?"

"Maybe I was WRONG! Because today I don't know shit about you – and from what you're saying, you don't know shit about me!"

"Kate! You're being unfair! I... What do you want to know?"

"Nothing! I don't want to have to interrogate you to get even a snippet of information about you! And you... You just make jokes! You avoid everything. You mess around, and it's cute, but... I want us to be MORE."

"Well maybe you should go somewhere else! Or _maybe _you should just wait, like I did for FOUR YEARS while you fucked around with nowhere guys in nowhere relationships because you couldn't face being honest with yourself!"

Kate gritted her teeth. "That was low," she muttered. Rick was still shouting.

"You deserve it. So I broke your vase. So what? If we're not more than that, what's the point?"

Kate picked up the vase off his piano, suddenly seeing red. She hurled it at him; it smacked against the wall and shattered.

"There!" she yelled. "Now we're even!"

Rick gaped at her. "You just broke my vase!" he shouted.

"I know! See how you fucking like it! Oh, wait, it wasn't me. It was the wind, you know, blowing in from the window."

"Kate, come on!"

"Come on and what? Forgive you? I don't give a shit. It's a fucking vase. Just like that one was. I just... You lied about it! You have to be grown up. Don't hide me in your closet, don't lie about the vase, don't end up on your couch with some bikini wearing slut from TV! Be a fucking adult, Rick, because I want to be with one!"

"And you're so damn perfect, are you?"

"I think I do better than you! I've given so much, but you can still be such an idiot, such a child!"

Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she screamed at him, not just pouring but throwing out her heart.

"Fine! I love you! That is all there is. You're fucking everything."

"Not good enough!" she shouted. "It's like sorry. I love you isn't some kind of fix it phrase you can pull out when you piss me off. You have to do better than that!"

"What if I can't? What if I'm _not _perfect? I don't save lives, I'm not a real cop, I don't have a six pack and I'm sometimes an idiot! So what?"

"So... Care more! Don't just act like you're dumb and there's nothing you can do about it! _Fix _things. Do BETTER! WANT TO DO BETTER!"

"Kate Beckett, now apparently queen of all relationships! You know less than I do!"

"Mister two failed marriages! I'm beginning to see why!"

"Now who's shooting low?"

"Sometimes you make me so angry, Rick, so angry I want to-"

"WHAT? WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? LEAVE? DO IT!"

"DON'T EVEN TEMPT ME!"

"IF YOU WANT TO GO YOU SHOULD. OR I WILL!"

"SO YOU DON'T EVEN WANT TO TRY? YOU'D RATHER I JUST WALKED AWAY?"

"I would NOW. You started a fight, but I DON'T WANT ONE. I HAVE SPENT FOUR YEARS OF MY LIFE WAITING TO BE WITH YOU, WISHING YOU WOULD SEE THAT I'M RIGHT HERE AND I'M READY AND I LOVE YOU... AND NOW THAT WE ARE TOGETHER ALL YOU WANT TO DO IS PICK HOLES IN THIS. It might not be perfect but I thought it was worth something to you!"

"I thought so too! But you just... I can't believe you want me to leave. But you know what? FINE!" She marched towards the door and stormed through it, slamming it behind her. Rick stared after her, still fuming.

And then his heart stopped. Was that the end? Had he just ended it? His phone was out before the thought had even finished.

"WHAT THE FUCK NOW?" she shouted down the phone.

"Hey! Don't you shout at me. And don't you walk out on this."

"Make your fucking mind up!" she yelled, marching back through the door and slamming her phone down on the counter. "I am only back because I AM NOT NEARLY DONE YELLING AT YOU!"

"WELL I MIGHT HAVE SOME MORE YELLING IN ME TOO!"

"GOOD!"

"GOOD!"

They glared at each other, both full of fire.

"I DO tell you things!" Rick shouted suddenly. "You know EVERYTHING about my marriages, about my daughter, about my mother, about my books... You know I had an awful time at school. You know I protected myself with humour. You know I had no father; that my mother was erratic and I was alone a lot as a child... What more do you want?"

Kate bit her lip, still crying, still wishing for something but she didn't know what. Just...

"I want... I don't even know! Why do I have to know? You could be spontaneous, you could take control and not just ask me what to do at EVERY SINGLE HICCUP!"

"SO NOW YOU WANT ME TO TAKE CONTROL? Who are you and what have you done with my girlfriend? Kate, you're the biggest control freak in New York!"

"Well someone has to be the grown up!"

"Maybe if you gave me a chance I might surprise you!"

"Maybe if you gave being grown up a shot I might believe you! And that's what I mean. I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO GIVE YOU CHANCES! You should TAKE them. Be a fucking MAN, Rick!"

Rick took a step towards her and suddenly lowered his voice, staring at his tear-stained girlfriend with messed up hair and piercing eyes.

"You want me to be a man?" he asked quietly. She just stared, so he grabbed her and crushed her mouth to his.

Kate was desperate to resist but she felt herself melt into him, unable to pull away for almost a minute. When she finally did push him off her he had that stupid grin on his face.

"And _that_, Detective Beckett, is why you are with me."

She shuddered. "Fuck you," she whispered.

"If you like," he said, reaching out to touch her cheek. She swatted his hand away angrily.

"You're just... evading the point again!" she shouted, but her heart wasn't really in it.

"And what is the point, exactly?" he asked, mildly amused but with a hint of threat. It was a new voice, something she hadn't heard from him before. It was... dangerous. Hard. Strong. And there was absolutely nothing childish about it.

Kate narrowed her eyes. "You broke my fucking vase," she muttered. Rick took hold of her arms, pinning them to her sides.

"And you broke _my_ fucking vase," he said, his voice icy and on fire at the same time. He kissed her and this time she didn't even have the option of pushing him away – not that she wanted to. He kept his eyes open; they cut into hers as he punished her mouth with his, teasing her lips with his teeth, pressing his tongue deep inside her. She let out a little moan and he stopped kissing her so he could speak.

"Is this what you meant by taking control?" he asked, as if daring her to try to fight with him again. She suddenly felt weak at the knees; she _wanted _him. She wanted him to _take _her. She smiled. He chuckled.

"No more fighting," he whispered gently as he kissed her neck. "And I am sorry."

"No more fighting," she repeated. "And... that's okay."

"Want to know what number one was on that 'stupid bucket list'?" he asked as he unbuttoned her blouse. She gasped as his hands found their way under it, and then to other places.

"Go on then," she breathed. "What was it?"

He paused, sliding her blouse off her shoulders and tugging his own shirt over his head. Then he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her again.

"Be with Kate," he said simply.

* * *

So... got that out of my system. Please leave a comment! Thanks for reading.


	2. A Little Trick That I do

Since 5x17 a lot of people have been wondering who will write this scene. So I have had a go - I don't think I'm good at this _at all _but I am a slave to popular demand and as always I hope you like it. Please leave a comment. If you don't like smut... well, you were warned!

* * *

"...And it involves a little trick that I do. With ice..."

Kate sauntered into the bedroom; Rick stared after her, his insides jangling the way they always did when she said something like-

_that._

Stupid curse. He looked at his watch, suddenly not caring about waiting until after midnight but at the same time just a little afraid- He grinned. It was after midnight. There was no curse.

"The ice is melting," Kate called from the bedroom, knowing and loving the fact that she was driving him crazy. She set the whisky glass on the night stand, hearing the ice cubes clink against each other. She slid out of her shirt and hung it in the closet; she was at the loft so much Rick had basically just given it to her. She took off her heels and felt Rick come into the room behind her.

"Take off your clothes and lie down on the bed," she said softly. She undid her pants and stepped out of them; Rick was still staring at her. She raised her eyebrows.

"It's not like you've never seen me before," she said with a little smile.

"No. But this," he gestured to her, "never gets old."

She leaned into him. "It might. If I have to wait for you for much longer."

She began to unbutton his shirt while he dealt with his belt and zipper. Soon he was standing in just his underwear. Kate steered him to the bed; he wondered why she wasn't kissing him yet. She reached out and popped an ice cube into her mouth, and then he realised. She leaned back down to him, her legs straddling his waist as he lay below her, and kissed him, the almost painful cold of the ice multiplying the intensity of her mouth to something that made him grab onto her thighs.

She gently pushed his hands away and, keeping the ice in her mouth, trailed kisses down his body; along his strong jawline, down his neck, across his collarbone, over his chest and stomach... Each kiss made him shiver with pleasure and excitement. She teased the edge of his boxers with her fingers, stroking the sensitive skin as she tugged them aside.

He groaned as she moved back up his body, leaning over him to get the whisky glass. She took a sip of the cool liquid and kissed him again, sharing the burning taste of the alcohol which contradicted the low temperature. His hands found their way onto her body again; he undid her bra and she let him slide it off her, but sat up too high for his hungry mouth to reach her breasts. She picked up another ice cube, enjoying him watching her. She kept this one in her hand, trailing it along her jaw and neck, over her own delicious collarbone and onto one breast. Rick's eyes widened as she teased her nipple, causing it to pucker even tighter than before. She grinned at him, her back arching slightly as she moved the ice to the other side and his hands moved onto her stomach and back, desperately trying to pull her closer to him.

The ice was on the move again, slipping down her stomach, leaving a line of water that Rick wished he could lick off. The ice reached the top of her little cotton panties; they both shuddered when she dipped it below them for a moment. Then, finally, she lowered her chest close enough for Rick to touch, and offered him the ice in her hand. He accepted it, savouring the mingled taste of Kate and the alcohol, goose pimples appearing all over his body as she teased him again, allowing him just a brief suck on one breast before she moved down again.

He let out a moan just at the thought of what she was about to do. She traced his inner thigh with her cold tongue, then traced it right along his length. He grabbed handfuls of the sheet and squeezed them into fists, making a strangled noise that produced a chuckle from Kate. She raised up in front of him again. She took the ice from her mouth; a small enough piece to rest in his belly button. He shuddered when she put it there.

"Can I have the other piece back?" she asked. He handed it to her but she shook her head, gesturing for him to put it... somewhere else. Kate wasn't exactly vanilla, but Rick was seeing a side to her they didn't often reach. He smiled as he put the ice into her panties; she groaned as she adjusted its positioning, then kissed Rick again, her wet hands finding him hard below them.

Her head dipped down again and she took him into it, one of his legs now between hers. He could feel the cold of the melting ice combined with her warm arousal seeping through the thin material of her underwear onto his thigh. He gasped as she moved up and down, the cold from the ice in his belly button seeming much lower somehow. He felt her move against his leg.

Kate felt the ice inside her, almost unbearable but wonderful at the same time. Rick filled her mouth in a way that she _loved_; he was inside her but he was still thinking of her pleasure too. He moved his leg a little, causing the ice cube to shift across her centre. She used her lips and tongue, massaging him, holding his hips with her hands, forcing him not to move them.

The rhythm he had begun with his leg, matching the rhythm of her mouth, was bringing her dangerously close to the edge he hadn't reached yet. Kate felt herself coil tighter and tighter; she knew what would happen and she concentrated on keeping her mouth steady as Rick and that little piece of ice tipped her over the edge. She bucked on top of him but didn't remove her mouth; she let him feel the orgasm shake through her, losing all control but at the same time maintaining enough to suck him. She reached a wobbly hand down to retrieve what was left of the ice from her panties and brought it up to drag it across his tip.

This was all it took; she quickly brought her mouth over him again to swallow down everything he gave her as he shouted out her name and saw nothing but bright white light. She removed her mouth and collected the ice, putting both pieces in her mouth, crunching them as she watched him recover. She had another sip of his whisky.

"And that's basically all there is to it," she said, as if she had been teaching him a magic trick. He rested against the pillows, a big smile on his face.

"Better than I ever imagined," he told her. "And I waited for years to find out what that trick was."

"I waited for years to show you," she said with a grin.


	3. The Three Legged Race

In cuffed, once they've _found their rhythm_, Beckett suggests that they should run the three legged race together at the next police picnic. Also, there is a photo going around of Castle and Beckett at a picnic. So I thought I would write it. Set _before _the end of season 4 – so they aren't together yet! (As in, at the beginning of this story. By the end... well, you'll just have to read it, won't you?)

* * *

The Three Legged Race

Rick pulled on a loose cotton shirt and felt it stick to him immediately. It was so hot that even breathing was an effort. Part of him wished he could just stay in his air conditioned apartment watching Temptation Lane reruns, but he had promised Kate that he would go. He couldn't figure her out. One minute she was cool and distant, speaking vaguely about her walls... And the next, she was fluttering her eyelashes at him, saying things like "Next time, let's do it without the tiger," and persuading him to let her sign them up for the three legged race.

The three legged race at this damn picnic. It was to raise money for charity, so he could hardly refuse, but... A three legged race? He would never tell her, but he had actually trained. She was very fit, he knew she went running every day, as well as doing her combat training. He hadn't wanted her to be dragging him along so for about a month he had been trying to go running too. He had lost weight; Alexis was actually worried. Kate didn't seem to have noticed...

* * *

Kate put the fan in her car on maximum, blasting cold air into her face. She was still sweating. She wore a light blue t-shirt and three-quarter jeans. She was regretting the jeans; her legs were far too hot and sticky. She looked good, though. Her hair didn't much like the heat, but it was coping. It bounced around her shoulders. She would tie it up when she got out of the car; it would be unbearable otherwise. But she loved the feel of it blowing around, light and golden. It made her whole car smell like cherries... She wondered if Rick would notice.

She felt bad for thinking about it like that. She had dressed for him too. Her shirt was a good bit tighter than she would usually have gone for, and when she moved it showed of a line of her flat, tan stomach. She pulled up in front of his building and called his cell.

"I'm on my way," he said when he answered. "Just getting in the elevator."

She smiled at the sound of his voice. She did whenever she heard it and there was no one to see her. It made her feel so... good. Relaxed. Peaceful. As though everything was going to be okay.

He walked out of the building and squinted in the sunlight, unhooking his designer sunglasses from his shirt and putting them on. He got into the car and put the large hamper he was holding on the back seat. It was instantly warmer, but Kate didn't mind. He smelled good. She tried to inhale deeply without him noticing; he did exactly the same thing. She pulled out and began to drive to the small park the 12th was using for the event.

They didn't talk much in the car. Kate asked a question about Alexis, Rick made a comment about their last case. They didn't need to talk.

There was a large marquee in the middle of a huge field. Kate parked the car in the designated area and stepped out. She bent down to tie up her hair, combing it out below her head before swinging it up into a ponytail. She realised from Rick's gasp that he had enjoyed watching. She jammed her glasses back on with a grin.

"You can fantasise later, Castle. Right now we have a race to win."

He laughed weakly and followed her to the marquee. There were lots of stalls selling melting food and iced drinks that were quickly becoming lukewarm. They wandered around, spending a little money to support the charities, meeting up with Ryan and Esposito. Lanie was sunbathing in the field; she didn't seem to be affected by the heat the way the rest of them were.

Someone with a megaphone announced that the races would be starting soon. Ryan and Espo were also competing in the three legged race. Rick looked at Kate's feet.

"You're wearing sandals with heels?"

"I'm going to take them off," Kate said, chuckling. "We'll be faster; you can take your shoes off too."

She went to fetch a blanket from her car so they could sit to watch the other competitions. When she came back Rick had taken off his shoes and rolled up his jeans. They were a very similar shade to hers, as was his shirt.

"We even have a team dress code," he commented, noticing as well.

Kate kicked off her heels. "We do indeed. We'd better win, then."

"How much do you care about winning?" Rick asked, his tone joking but his question serious. Kate could be very competitive. Kate smiled.

"I wouldn't care at all. But I know there are a lot of bets against us. So I got brilliant odds – Lanie's put in $100 for me. If we win we could get over $1000 for charity."

"So you actually do want to win?"

"It would be nice. We'll get a certificate," she added. "Gates will have to present it."

Rick laughed. "Now I want to win too."

There were a few other races which they watched happily, laughing together. They couldn't see themselves, but anyone looking would have mistaken them for a young couple in love.

The time came for them to tie their ankles together. Kate went to get the cord and grinned when she was given a pair of handcuffs. She showed them to Rick and he made a face. Kate laughed.

"I know," she said. "I had a very different idea about what we'd be doing when we were next using some of these, too."

Rick gaped at her as she clicked the cuffs onto their ankles She stood up. Rick scooped her into him so their arms were around each other and they tried walking. It was easier than she had expected; he was very good at letting her lead. They made their way to the start line and checked out the competition. Ryan and Espo were the main threat – though some of the other teams had fast runners, they wouldn't be able to work together.

The gun went off and they started to run. Kate tried not to get the giggles when she saw Rick's concentrating expression. They ran, completely in sync. They had quite a lead on everyone, even Espo and Ryan. Kate was surprised by how quick Rick had become. He must have been training... She knew he had lost a bit of weight. He was looking fitter, and with her arm around him she could feel the muscles rippling under his shirt.

They were just feet from the finish line. The cuffs were getting hot; even the earth under their bare feet was uncomfortable to walk on for long. And then Rick tripped-

There had been a hole in the ground and they both went sprawling forward. They were inches away. Kate, not one to give up easily, grabbed Rick and practically hurled him over her so they rolled over the line, moments before Ryan and Espo.

"Did we win," Rick asked her, dazed.

"Yeah," she said breathlessly, still on top of him.

He shuddered when he realised she was straddling him. Someone unlocked the cuffs and they untangled themselves, feeling slightly awkward as they got up and brushed themselves off. Kate brushed a bead of perspiration from her forehead and caught Rick's eye. They'd left their sunglasses on the blanket. He grinned at her.

"Don't worry, I knew you'd do anything to win." He rubbed his knee.

"You okay?" she asked, suddenly worried. He said he was but she knelt in front of him and rolled up his jeans so she could see. There was a cut. She sighed as though he was her child, almost.

"Come on," she said. "I have a band aid in the car. Let's get you cleaned up."

Rick laughed and followed her back to the car. He couldn't stop thinking about the feel of her fingers gliding gently up his leg...

She sat him down in the passenger seat with the door open and fetched her first aid kit from the trunk. She pulled out an antiseptic wipe.

"This is going to sting," she said apologetically. Rick winked.

"I think I'll cope."

He winced as she wiped the cut, making sure there was no dirt in it. Then she stuck on a plaster, her fingers lingering on him a little longer than necessary. He pretended not to notice. He _knew _it was complicated.

"Thanks," he said.

"Always," she replied. "And since we're here, what's in the hamper?"

"You said this was a picnic," he told her. "It's insulated, it'll all still be cold. I even put in some water."

Kate loved that he knew her so well. She almost always preferred plain water to soda. He rolled down his jeans again and got the hamper out of the car. They went back to their blanket to collect their stuff, then Kate folded the blanket and they moved to a more shady (and incidentally far more secluded) corner of the field. It was surrounded by trees. In fact, they were completely invisible to any of the other picnickers.

Rick opened his hamper and laid out some delicious looking sandwiches and salad. Kate lay down on her stomach and picked up an apple. Rick raised his eyebrows and she bit into it, never breaking eye contact with him. A bit of juice dribbled down her chin and she cursed inwardly. She had been trying to eat sexily-

And she realised he was loving it. She wiped the juice off and licked her finger. Rick just stared, his hunger forgotten.

Suddenly, everything about the race, the fall, the heat, combined into a force too strong for either of them to resist. Looking at Rick, Kate could think of no reason why she shouldn't be with him. No reason why she shouldn't...

She swallowed the bit of apple and moved her eyes, telling Rick something. He caught her mood immediately and inched closer.

"Want some?" she asked, and before he could answer she took another bite and moved her mouth close to his. He couldn't quite believe what was happening, but he had kissed her once before and now her lips were so close there was nothing he could do but follow her lead. She felt her whole body tingle as their mouths connected. She opened her mouth and pushed the piece of apple into his; he kissed her harder until she broke away to let him eat. He couldn't stop staring. He just didn't... He didn't understand.

"Are you..?" he asked, the question in his mind not even properly formed. She knew what he meant, though. She opened a bottle of water and took a long drink, sitting up beside him. Suddenly she felt cold, though the sun still shone on them relentlessly. She shivered, rubbing her arms as she longed for his touch. She knew how warm he was and she wished she could just fall into him and let him wrap her up in his arms and make her feel whole again.

"I just... I don't care any more. I just want you," she said quietly. She was expecting rejection; she had messed him around, she had waited too long-

He grabbed her and suddenly she was on the ground under him. The apple rolled away as his lips attacked hers with a passion neither of them had ever felt before.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, a tear running down her cheek. He pulled away and dragged her into a sitting position.

"Don't you dare," he growled, wiping away the tear and kissing her again. She made an unrecognisable sound as he yanked out the elastic and raked his hands through her hair. She was on her back again and she wound her bare feet around him but she felt something wrong. She laughed into his mouth as she realised it was his knee, then rolled them over so he hit the ground with a thud. She could feel him harden beneath her and knew she would have to stop soon or they would be breaking the law. She moved against him anyway, her body refusing to listen to her brain.

"Your place or mine?" she growled into his ear.

"Yours is closer," he managed, letting out a groan. Then he realised what she meant and shoved her off. He threw everything together as she sat, confused, on the blanket. He grinned and pulled her up to him, kissing her roughly.

"Come on. We're leaving. We can get our certificate on Monday."

Kate laughed and pulled the blanket off the ground as they hurried to her car. They loaded everything in and were just getting in themselves-

"Congratulations, Detective. And Mr Castle. You've made a lot of money for charity."

Kate cringed. "Thank you, sir," she said to her captain.

"But you're leaving so soon?"

Kate stared at Castle helplessly. He rescued her. "I.. ah.. remembered something I had to do at home. Beckett's my lift."

Gates seemed to buy it. "Well. I'm sorry you're going so early and won't be able to collect your award."

"We are too," Kate said hurriedly. "See you on Monday. Have a great afternoon!"

Gates nodded and they got into the car. Kate accelerated out of the car park. Rick's hand found its way to her leg.

"That was... awful," she said. Rick made a noise of agreement, sliding his hand up her thigh. He reached the join of her legs and she gasped, the car jerking forward with her body.

"Eyes on the road," he said to her wickedly. She blinked and tried to focus, knowing telling him to stop would be completely pointless. And that was supposing she wanted him to. Which she really didn't. She had thought about this... countless times, when he had been in the car next to her. He undid the button of her jeans and pulled down the zipper. He had very flexible wrists.

She stopped at some lights and looked at him. He glanced out at the road and kissed her quickly.

"Pull over," he said. "I'll drive. Wouldn't want you to crash."

She did as she said. She could hardly think straight, she had no idea what he was doing... The heat as she walked around the outside of the car made her feel as though she was utterly soaked in sweat. The fan in the car made the temperature contrast fairly striking; again, she was almost cold until she felt his touch. He drove one handed; the car was automatic. His right hand snaked over to her and she brought her hips up to meet him sooner. He was... relieved, almost. That she needed him. That she needed him, just like he needed her.

His fingers slipped inside her and she let out a kind of shout, gripping the edges of the seat. He kept driving, watching the road. He wished he could look at her but he would have the chance to do that later.

"You got here quickly," he muttered as he suddenly set his finger to making little circles on her centre. She grinned, at what he had said, and also that he was so good. Despite her personality, she hated having to direct a man in this way.

"Women get frustrated too," she managed to spit out through her panting breaths.

"I can see that," he said, smiling as he stopped at another light. His hand was as relentless as the sun, coiling her tighter and tighter. He pulled away and revved the car loudly just as she exploded around him. She stared at him through fluttering eyelids, watching him appear from the bright white light. He removed his hand and licked his finger, still only looking at her from the corner of his eye. She flopped back in the seat and he did her jeans back up, then put his hand back on her leg.

When they finally made proper eye contact a few minutes later, Rick saw everything in her that he had always dreamed would be there, right on the surface. She bit her lip.

"I can't believe I waited almost four years to let you do that," she whispered. He laughed.

"I know. But I can think of a way for you to pay me back. Which will also help us to make up for lost time."

She linked her hand with his and they walked upstairs, together, as they would now remain. Always.

* * *

Thanks for reading, and as always, please review. And if you want to see the inspiration, look on twitter for the picture, and watch Cuffed. XD


	4. The Kids Are Awake

Karisa tweeted this idea, based on the bed scene from Monday's episode, and I just had to...

Fast Forward about 5 years and this is "Oh shit, the kids are awake"

It had been a long day but Kate was finally home and comfortable. She'd treated herself to a long, relaxing shower while Rick put Sofia and Matthew to bed. Sofia was just six months old but she had been a wonderful sleeper from birth. Matthew was three and a lot more trouble; he'd been being a pain all evening and Kate had been very relieved when Rick had offered to do bedtime.

He was sitting in bed when she came in. She dropped her white robe on the chair beside the bed and tucked herself under the covers.

"Good shower?" he asked, admiring the way her baggy shirt had slipped off her shoulder revealing her glowing skin and perfect collarbone.

"Heavenly," she said with a seductive smile. "Was Matty okay?"

"Could have been worse. Although I think that kindergarten doesn't work them hard enough."

"Work them – you mean child labour?" she teased. He made a face.

"You know what I mean. He's never tired when he comes home. They even have naps there. He doesn't need naps, he needs to run around, so he's tired when he comes here."

Kate smiled. "You don't really want him to be tired when he gets home. You want him full of energy for your laser tag tournaments. And I'm still annoyed about that ornament, by the way."

"I'll get you another one."

"I don't want another one," she said, but her grin was already slipping back to her face. She leaned towards him.

"You're miraculous, you know that?" he whispered just before his lips touched hers. He meant it, too. No matter how many times she kissed him, how many times they made love, it was just as perfect and wonderful as their frenzied first time – if a little more relaxed. His fingers began exploring the rim of her tight grey hot pants and she moved in closer-

They pulled apart and looked towards the doorway. They had both heard the clatter from Matthew's room. Rick jumped out of bed and Kate vaulted after him; they both ran along the passageway to get to their son.

Kate loved the new house. They'd moved when they found out she was pregnant. It had been expensive to get somewhere so big in the city but she had wanted to keep her job and Rick wanted to say close to Alexis, who was now doing a PHD at Columbia. The schools there were better too... and there was something about New York which attracted them both.

Matthew was lying on his bedroom floor, crying bitterly.

"What's the matter, honey?" Kate asked, kneeling down in front of him as Rick surveyed the 'crime scene' to see what had happened.

"I feel out of bed," Matthew sobbed. He had the racing car bed that Rick had always wanted when he was little, and had apparently been attempting some kind of complicated manoeuvre when he fell out of it and hit his head. Kate checked the little bump and sighed.

"You're going to be fine," she told him. "How do you feel?"

"It hurts," Matthew sniffed. Kate looked up at Rick. Their son was adorable, but he could be a little manipulative.

"You want anything?" Rick asked him. "A glass of water, maybe?"

Matthew's eyes lit up. "A cookie?" he asked hopefully.

"Too much sugar," Rick said apologetically. "Some cereal – not the sweet kind," he added when Matthew opened his mouth to speak.

"It's okay," Matthew said eventually, surprising his parents. "I'll just go to sleep."

Kate raised her eyebrows. She couldn't believe they were getting of that easily.

"Okay," she said, lifting him back into bed and tucking the blanket around him. "You give us a shout if you need anything, or if your head hurts more."

"Okay," he said happily. Rick leaned down to kiss his son goodnight. They left the room, leaving the door open a crack so some of the light from the landing could get in.

"What just happened?" Rick whispered when they were back in their own room.

"I have no idea," Kate said. "Maybe he sensed our mood," she suggested with a smile. Rick laughed and pulled her towards him to get back to where they left off. They tumbled onto the bed and both felt their heart rates increase. Kate took off her top to show her flat, toned stomach. Rick had great respect for it but she insisted it was genes – she hadn't had trouble losing weight after giving birth to either of her children.

"I wouldn't mind," he was fond of telling her when she turned down a second slice of cake or an ice cream when they were at the park. "You'd be all soft and squishy."

"You want me squishy?" she would say, taking the food he offered her. She still went running, though. Her legs were to die for. Especially when they were wrapped around his waist.

Rick's shirt hit the floor too and he began trailing kisses down his wife's neck and across her chest. Kate let out a gentle moan – and then she heard something.

"Castle-"

"What, Castle?"

Kate laughed at the now very old joke, but reluctantly sat up and looked around for her shirt. Rick pretended to help.

"What is it?" he asked her.

"I heard Sofia," she said. She found the shirt and put it on.

"She's not crying," Rick said.

"No, but she's awake. Maybe she's hungry again."

"Then why did you bother putting your top on?" Rick joked. "She never needs feeding at night, Kate."

"She didn't have as much earlier. I'll just see. Or her diaper might need changing. And it's your turn for that, by the way."

Rick followed her into Sofia's room and sure enough, the little girl was awake. Kate lifted her out of her crib and settled in the armchair, shocked at how quickly everything she had been feeling in the bedroom with Rick disappeared, morphing into motherly emotions. She could tell the same thing was not happening to her husband.

"I still can't decide if that's not or not," Rick said as Kate guided her breast into Sofia's mouth.

"Not," Kate said firmly.

"It's hot when I do it," he argued.

"For a sensible, intelligent, grown man, you really are such a child sometimes."

"You love me for it."

Kate winked at him. "Yes, I do. You should remember that Sofia might well understand everything we say."

"I don't think so," he said.

"Oh, I don't know. She's getting close to talking - and babies understand before they talk."

Rick laughed. "I thought I was the one who believed in crazy stuff."

"It's not crazy."

"She's a baby, Kate. She's adorable, but she's a baby."

"Next time you want to go unicorn hunting, I'm not coming," she teased. Sofia stopped suckling and after a few attempts to get her to start again, Kate wiped her mouth with the tissue Rick handed her and put her back to bed.

Rick sighed at the satisfied smile on Kate's face. "You feel all motherly now. All happy and content."

"So?"

"So, you don't feel like sex any more," he told her as they walked back to their room."

"Yes I do," Kate lied.

"I know when you're lying. We've been married for four years and that's not even counting all the time you were my work wife."

"You don't know when I'm lying. I lie to you all the time," she said with a wicked look in her eyes. They were sitting in bed again. Kate managed to keep a straight face in front of his wounded one for about ten seconds before she erupted into giggles.

"Rick. You know I don't lie to you, or anyone, for that matter. And I very much want to make love to you. Just... give me a minute."

Rick laughed. "A silent minute? An elastic minute?"

"Any kind of minute."

"I could talk dirty to you," he said seductively. She doubled over with laughter and he pulled her closer to him on the bed.

"You smell like cherries," he growled, knowing this would set her off again.

"I do this one thing with ice cubes," she countered. "Your face when I said that... priceless."

"Did you already want me then?" he asked. She raised her eyebrows.

"You know I did."

He smiled. "I want you now."

"You can't quite pull it off," she said, patting him on the head then tugging her shirt off again. "But I'll forgive you."

"Thanks, babe," he said, putting extra emphasis on the word that really didn't fit. She climbed onto his lap and straddled him, stroking him gently as his mouth found her breast and produced an entirely different sensation from the one she had felt earlier. She arched her back to make it easier for him to reach, and pushed her knees up and shuffled around so he could get her hot pants off.

"These are absurd," he said when he'd finally helped her to scramble out of them.

"They're incredibly comfortable," she countered, then kissed him before he could respond. His fingers found her centre and she gasped as he touched her the way only he knew how.

"Mommy!"

"Seriously?" Kate groaned as she struggled back into her shorts and shirt. Rick licked his fingers. "Screw you," she said.

"You're going to," he told her.

"Oh... shush," she said as she left the room.

"What's up, Matty?" she asked her son.

"I'm thirsty," he said. Kate smiled at him.

"I'll get you a drink. You go back to bed and wait there, I'll be back in a minute."

Rick followed her down to the kitchen.

"I love having children," he said honestly.

"Me too," she replied. "But sometimes I wish we could switch them off for the night."

Rick laughed and handed her a glass of water. "Want one for yourself as well?"

"If we get interrupted again, you're going to deal with it and I'm finishing by myself," she said, hurrying back upstairs. She gave Matthew his water and he took a sip.

"Will you be alright now?" she asked a little hastily.

"Yes," he said. If he caught her tone he didn't know what to make of it. She gave him a quick hug and said goodnight. Rick was waiting for her in bed. She closed the door behind her. He patted his lap and she shucked her clothes before climbing onto him.

"Maybe you should just be quick," she teased as her hands found him again.

"You sure? At this rate we could make it last all night."

She squeezed him, hard, which was enough to shut him up. Then she grinned and his mouth latched onto her breast again.

There was a crash.

"That was the glass," Kate said, putting on her robe this time. They both went to clean up the water; Rick was very aware of his crotch as he swept up the broken glass.

"Can I... Can I have a story?" Matthew asked. His parents sighed and settled down either side of him with his favourite book about trains. They knew all the little stories off by heart – Kate was sure Matthew did too but he still loved to hear them.

Half an hour later, they gently got off his bed. He was fast asleep. Kate stifled a yawn as they left the room.

"No..." Rick said as he heard it, but then he was yawning too.

They got back to their room and he kissed her again but he had to yawn a second time and that started her off again... She lay down in the bed and he lay beside her, his eyelids drooping.

"We could still-" he began half heartedly.

"I still want to..." she said sleepily.

"Tomorrow," they said together. Kate snuggled against Rick and he stroked a heavy hand through her hair.

"Love you," he murmured.

"You too," she said, already feeling her body fall into a deep slumber.

* * *

A/N: As I said, not my idea, I just loved it. I hope you liked the story, please review!


	5. Whipped Cream

A/N: This story is old, I had it published on its own but I'm doing some tidying up and it fits in this collection. Sorry if you've seen it before - if not, I hope you enjoy. If you have, I'm already writing the next one so you won't have to wait long for the 'real' update.

Also, a note about the requests. There has to be some kind of a story! *hangs on to last shred of dignity*

* * *

_**For Anna, Anna, Lisa and Hannah...**_

Kate followed Rick into the loft. He was talking about something, but she was finding it hard to concentrate. She had been stuck on something since yesterday. He turned around.

"Beckett? Are you in there?"

"Yeah, sorry. I was just.. thinking."

"About what? You've been preoccupied ever since yesterday. Is it something to do with the case?"

Kate sighed. "Kind of. Look, don't laugh, okay, but..." she blushed. He smiled encouragingly.

"I won't. I promise."

"I was just thinking... You've done so much more than me."

"So much more what?"

Kate cringed. "Like, sexy stuff."

"You mean night club sex, don't you? Really, Beckett, not even worth the entry fee. Grotty bathrooms, no room to manoeuvre..."

"Not just night clubs. But yeah, I guess. I mean, do you mind that I'm more... vanilla?"

He laughed. "Kate Beckett, you are _not v_anilla. And I'm surprised you think you're any less, uh, adventurous than I am."

"Really?"

"If you're right, what you lack in experience, you more than make up for in imagination."

She laughed. "Thanks. But I don't believe you."

"You don't have to. But, I mean, if you want to try something new..."

Kate grinned, and went to kiss him. "Maybe," she said into his mouth. "Do you have any suggestions?"

He slid his hands under her top. "Well – the nightclub thing comes under public place territory. Ever done that?"

She shook her head, her hands already working on the buttons of his shirt. He slipped out of her arms.

"Hey..." she said. He winked. "Just getting something." He opened the fridge, and pulled out a can of ready whip. She laughed.

"No way."

"I thought you wanted to experiment."

Kate made a face. "With whipped cream?"

Rick grinned, and squirted a little into his mouth, then without swallowing, kissed her. She had to admit, it was nice. He held up the can, and she opened her mouth. Soon they were back to kissing. Kate backed Rick onto the couch, and took the can from him. She got rid of his shirt, and soon hers was gone too. She kicked off her heels, and straddled him, then put the cream down on the coffee table.

"I'm sorry, I have no idea what to do with this."

He laughed. She swatted him.

"Tell you what – how about under the stars?"

Kate winked. "I've actually done that before. It's cold."

"Well that's no fun. Handcuffs?"

"Castle, _we've _done that. More than once..."

"Just checking. Wait, that was you?"

She punched his chest. "Hey, kidding!" he protested.

"In the car?"

"No room. And done that too."

"Not in a Ferrari..."

"Castle. No."

"Fine. You're right, actually, it is pretty uncomfortable. Ooh. I know."

"What?"

"Put your shirt on."

"What, Castle?"

He laughed, and scooted her off his lap. With a sulky expression, she pulled on her shirt as he got his keys. He shrugged into his own shirt, and she put on her heels.

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

"Castle, I don't like surprises. And no, you are not bringing the cream," she added, as his hand floated over the can. He narrowed his eyebrows at her, then went into the coat closet to get a scarf, which he tied around her eyes.

"Blindfold? Come on, then I won't be able to see your pretty face."

He laughed. "It's just 'til we get there."

Kate groaned, but let him guide her out of the loft, and into the elevator. She heard the doors close, and found the familiar in-the-elevator tension rise up in her stomach. But she had actually done that before, too. She turned into Rick, and found his mouth with hers. He kissed her back, but kept his hands to himself.

"Mean," she muttered.

"Come on, out we go," he said. She could tell from the echo that they were in the parking garage.

"Not the Ferrari?" she said.

"No. Well, we are getting in it. But only for transportation."

She pulled off the blindfold. "No. I've guessed. Not the interview room?"

Rick sighed. "You're such a party pooper."

"Castle, that is your fantasy, not mine."

"You don't have a fantasy."

She laughed, looking around the dark garage. "What's your weirdest place?"

Rick winked. "You first. You are the one being educated, after all."

Kate bit her lip. "The back of the grunge rocker's truck."

Rick smiled. "Don't look so embarrassed. Firstly, you have accomplished wonderful things – and you don't have to have sex in a nightclub to make you _so so hot._ Secondly, the back of a truck's not bad."

"Your turn," she said sternly.

"Toss up. In an elevator, or handcuffed to a cop's bed."

"Rick. Those were both me."

"I know."

"Seriously?"

He laughed. "Come on. Let's go back upstairs."

Kate laughed too. "You drive me crazy. Will you at least kiss me properly in the elevator this time?"

He grinned. "Say no more, detective." He pushed the 'up' button, then occupied his hands under her shirt again. Kate closed her eyes, and felt him press his open mouth against hers. She grabbed his hair with one hand, and tugged at his shirt with the other. She managed to rip off all the buttons, and they skittered over the concrete floor. Rick helped her off with her shirt again as they got into the elevator, and slammed her against the mirrored wall as it set off to the loft.

They stumbled though the apartment, shedding clothes rapidly as they made their way to the bedroom. Rick was vaguely aware that Kate was only using one hand as she shoved him back on the bed. Standing in front of him, she produced the whipped cream from behind her back. She threw back her head, opened her mouth, and filled it with cream. The sight was particularly interesting, because she wasn't wearing anything.

"I thought you said no to the ready whip?" he asked.

"Changed my mind – I was hungry," she said with a shrug, then pushed him down so he was lying flat on his back. "Are you?"


	6. Baby Don't Rush

A/N: Regarding the last chapter, the baby girl is called Sofia. I honestly didn't think of Sophia Turner, I just like the name. But now I'll make excuses for myself – a bad person being called something doesn't make the name bad. Perhaps Kate has always liked the name Sofia. And it wasn't even ST's real name. Anyway – very sorry if it bothered you.

With regards to this story - this one is for Sam, because I like watching her squeal, and because she got me to listen to a couple of songs:

(It is also kind of a post ep for 5x10 because I just watched that one with my sister.)

* * *

(Baby) Don't Rush/Fuck You Better

Rick bustled around the kitchen, preparing a breakfast that Kate really wasn't in the mood for, even though she had talked him out of smorelettes. She left her suitcase in the hallway and stood beside the breakfast bar, knowing she should sit down but somehow unable to. Rick turned around and finally caught her mood.

"Shit, Kate.. What's the matter?"

Kate blinked. She hadn't realised she looked so bad.

"I..."

"Meredith said something to you, didn't she? What was it?"

"I... she..."

Rick looked terrified, but determined to get her to tell him.

"Spit it out, Kate," he said.

Kate sighed. "She said she only broke up with you because your relationship was like a souffle, that it was sweet and wonderful but it had to sink in the end, and the reason it sank was because you knew everything about her but she knew nothing about you. And now I'm thinking, isn't that us? You know enough about me to fill books – and you _have _filled books, but I really don't know about you-"

Rick moved around the counter and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Kate," he said gently. "Don't rush into this place. Think about it first. Please. Why do I write?"

"Because... you're fascinated with murder... you had a hard time at school and your friend, the one we arrested, helped you to realise how good you were, and because you like creating a world with-"

Rick put a finger to her lips and raised his eyebrows. She was going to laugh but ended choking out a relieved sob.

"I'm so stupid sometimes," she said. He pulled her into a hug.

"No you're not. You're used to being hurt and disappointed. But that's not going to happen with me. Okay?"

Kate nodded into his chest. "Okay."

Suddenly she pulled away.

"What?" he asked.

"I smell something..." she said. Rick cursed as he rushed back to the oven to turn off the heat under the now burnt pancakes.

"Sorry," he said, making a face.

"It's okay. I'm not really hungry."

"You still feel weird? What else did she say?"

Kate groaned. This was so embarrassing.

"She... might have mentioned something at dinner about you both being each other's best. Ever. And I remember what you said about the deep fried twinkie thing..." she trailed off, blushing bright red. Kate Beckett, who was anything but shy in the bedroom, suddenly felt nervous and shy. Rick left the burnt mess on the counter and walked back around her.

"Meredith the deep fried twinkie, huh?"

Kate bit her lip and Rick reached for the bottom of her top and began to take it off her. She complied because she was wearing a vest under it, and because she wanted to see where he was going.

"She was," Rick said, dropping the top on a barstool and running a finger along her collarbone. "And no, you're not a twinkie, Kate. You're more like... coffee."

"Coffee?" she asked quietly as he knelt down to unzip her boots and help her step out of them.

"Yes," he said, standing back up. "Coffee. I need you every day," he kissed her neck softly, "and when I have you I instantly feel better." He tugged at her vest and she lifted her arms to allow him to take it off. "I'm practically addicted to you," he continued, running his hands over her back as he brought his mouth right up to hers. "I never get tired of you," he murmured, beginning to kiss her as she arched her back to keep their bodies touching. When they broke apart, breathless, she was finally smiling again.

"And I don't need nutmeg?" she asked, raising one eyebrow. Rick opened his mouth but she put her hand up.

"I don't need more of your food metaphors. I just need the honest truth. Who fucks you better, Rick?"

He stared at her. Had he even heard her right? She took a step towards him.

"Because," she said, "I think," she pressed herself into him, "what you were trying to say was that," she gripped his ass with one hand and stood on tiptoe to level her face with his, "_I _fuck you better, Castle. Am I right?"

She could feel his erection pressing into her as he struggled to force out a "Yes."

"Good," she said as she kissed him. They needed no communication to know she was going to jump; it was his turn to grip her behind as she wrapped her legs around him and kissed him ferociously as he carried her back to the bedroom.

They fell in a tangle on the bed. Kate struggled to undo her pants and dispensed with them quickly, dropping them, along with her panties, onto the floor. Rick scrambled out of his pyjamas and Kate laughed at his tousled hair. She undid her bra and shimmied her arms out of it. Rick laughed at the... jiggling.

Kate suddenly had a stab of doubt. Now that he wasn't touching her it was easier not to be won over. Rick pushed her down onto the bed, nudging her knees apart as he kissed her again. He braced himself on his arms and looked down at her.

"You're really better," he told her. "A hundred, thousand times better. You're so good you can turn me on just by looking at me. Your touch is like electricity. And," he said, looking down between them, "there's your proof. We've barely even started."

Kate had to smile. His expression, his explanation...

He leaned down to kiss her, keeping all his weight in his strong arms and driving her crazy with his lips and tongue. Now that his mouth was on hers she found it impossible to doubt anything. Of course she knew him, of course she was his best, and he was hers, because what they had... She had never felt anything like it, and it went deeper than sex, which somehow made the sex so much better.

* * *

Kate lay across Rick's chest, smiling as she looked around the room, feeling hazy. Rick's chest was still rising and falling fairly quickly; maybe she had still felt a little like she had something to prove. Maybe Rick did too, she thought, as his hand began sliding down over her stomach.

"Who was your best?" he asked, his fingers finding their destination and making it very hard for her to answer. She adjusted herself a little and his other hand found her neck and then moved to her breast.

"He still is," she said, tilting her head back to look into his eyes. It was sort of upside down but he caught her look and tweaked her nipple with a smile.

"I think you're just saying that because you don't want me to stop."

Kate sighed with pleasure as his hands continued to caress her.

"Maybe. But even if I said you weren't the best, I don't think you'd stop."

"Oh?" he said, teasing her by moving his finger so it was just out of reach of the place where she wanted it most. She shuffled again in an effort to reach it, and failing that tried to use her own hand but his arms had hers pinned in place.

"No," she said, concentrating on forming words as her brain screamed for his touch. "You always rise to a challenge. You would be... inspired, to make sure that you quickly moved into the top spot."

Rick chuckled, the movement of his chest shaking her body and causing even more interesting sensations.

"Perhaps I would be," he said, finally giving in and giving her his fingers back. A little moan escaped her mouth and she began to move her hips.

"Don't rush it," he told her.

"Are you correcting me?" she asked, proud of how in control she sounded.

"No, I would never dream of it," he said, but he steadied her with his left hand as his right worked inside her, forcing her to keep still. It didn't take long for her to be on the edge again and Rick smiled as she arched her back and came, for him. He removed his fingers and let her go; she relaxed, still leaning on him, and he licked his fingers. She raised her eyebrows.

"You really like doing that?"

"You taste good."

"Seriously? I get it, during. But after..."

"It's like the icing on the cake. Do you like swallowing?"

Kate thought about it and smiled when she realised the answer. "I didn't – but I do with you. Probably because you're better at the whole.. shebang."

Rick ran his now 'clean' hand through her tangled hair. "See? But I agree, it is just... different with you. Better. There's something about us."

"Something magical," Kate agreed. She was drifting off to sleep; she thought about stopping herself but it was Saturday and she had nowhere to be.

"I love you," Rick said quietly, almost by accident.

"I love you," she echoed with a different inflection, a subconscious response. Rick almost gasped; so did Kate once she'd realised what she'd said but then she relaxed again. He'd said it, she'd said it, they both felt it, no one was taking anything back. Rick leaned over and kissed the top of her head. She snuggled against him, feeling completely at home.

* * *

A/N: Well then... I hope you liked it Sam! *giggles* Please review guys. Love you xxx


	7. The Squab & the Quail (before we saw it)

So from all the responses I'm getting... the only thing I actually know about the actual ep is I have seen the 16 second promo. The rest is made up. I do not REALLY know what is going to happen in the episode. I am joking...

MASSIVE SPOILER. THIS IS 100% WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IN 5x22. That's all.

* * *

Erik Vaughn's apartment was stunning... she had thought Castle's place was impressive but this... was something else. Erik reappeared from behind the bar (he had a bar!) holding two glasses of wine.

"Sit down, Detective Beckett. Make yourself comfortable," he said smoothly, ushering her over to his suede leather couch. She took the glass he handed her but didn't drink. She couldn't... she was working. Boy he was handsome. And his accent... made her shiver. He took a mouthful of wine and stared openly at her, not hiding for a moment what he was looking at or what he desired. It made her feel worryingly exposed.

"You saved my life today," Erik said, and even this sounded like a come on. "Twice."

"Well, you know, it's just my job," Kate said uncomfortably. And why was she uncomfortable? Plenty of people were attracted to her, plenty of people wanted to be with her when she didn't want to be with them-

And that was it. Not all of her, not much of her, but a part of her... _did _want to be with Erik. For all that she said she was the one and done type, since Will, she hadn't had a relationship that had lasted as long as the one she was in with Rick, and soon it would be her longest relationship yet. She wasn't used to exposing her heart, but now she was getting used to being more open...

What was she even thinking? She loved Rick. He knew that. Everybody knew that. She was sure. She could stare at Erik, with his seductive accent and his gorgeous body, and still be certain that she was in love with Richard Castle.

So what was happening to her now?

Anger? Anger at not being sure whether to trust him? Ungrounded worries, because soon she would be inexorably tied to Castle and she wasn't sure if she could cope with that? Punishing _herself_ for _getting _so attached to someone, trying to go back on it because she was scared?

"You seem preoccupied," Erik said. "Is it anything I can help with? I feel as though I owe you..."

She forced a smile. "You don't owe me. And... no, it's not something you can... wait!"

She pulled out her phone and called Esposito. He said he would be there in half an hour.

Half an hour. Just 30 more minutes with this man and then she could go home to Rick. Where she belonged. Where she wanted to be. She thought about how he made her feel when he touched her, when they made love... How she adored that self deprecating smile and those sparkling blue eyes, how the way he looked at her produced a tingle below her stomach before he'd even said anything. He was her best friend, he was the man she loved. She didn't want this richer, maybe even handsomer man. She didn't. What she had with Rick ran so deep, he was in her veins, in her heart.

She stood up, meaning to ask where the bathroom was so she could hide in there for most of the time she had to be here, but Erik stood up too, moving right in front of her, so close she could smell his fresh, minty breath mingled with his alluring cologne.

"This is fate, meeting a woman like you," he said, leaning in to kiss her. She allowed herself a second to feel... nothing. And stepped back. She actually grinned, sighing with relief. Now that he'd done that, not only had he ruined his perfect personality by wanting her to cheat on her boyfriend, all the attraction disappeared. He wasn't even that good. Rick was so much better; Erik kind of reminded her of a weird guy she'd known in high school with strangely long arms and legs...

"I'm sorry," she said to him cheerfully. "I'm in love with Rick."

"Oh," he said. "Oh! I'm so sorry too! I... I don't know, I just thought..."

"It's okay," she said kindly. "I... You're a very attractive man, Mr Vaughn. And perhaps if I were single," and if you were a better kisser, she added inwardly, "you'd have a chance."

Her phone buzzed; she hoped it would be Espo saying he was outside but it was Rick, texting to check on her. He said on them. He meant her. He'd probably be glad if Erik was killed. She smiled and texted back that Espo was replacing her, she'd be home in an hour, and he should start preparing himself because she really wasn't tired. Erik watched rather dejectedly.

Espo arrived and after politely shaking Erik's hand, Kate couldn't get out of the door fast enough. She tapped her foot impatiently in the elevator, just the thought of Rick making her edgy already. She wanted him. She wanted him now.

* * *

She didn't want to talk, she wanted to kiss him as soon as she went through the door but he had other ideas.

"Why did you leave?" he asked. "You volunteered to protect him. Why did you change your mind?"

"Because..." she sighed. She couldn't lie. "Because he was coming on to me," she admitted, biting her lip. "And... I liked it. He's such an amazing man, and he's attracted to me... it's flattering," she said, blushing as Rick stared daggers at her.

"If it was so _flattering_," he said, "why didn't you just stay there?"

"He... he kissed me," she said in the end, wishing she could keep her damn mouth shut because this was really not going the way she wanted it to.

"He did _what_?" Rick asked icily.

"Just for a moment, I pushed him away after that and all I could think about was you, I swear-"

He grabbed her and crushed his mouth to hers but broke off after a second.

"You smell like him," he said, a fire in his eyes that she had never seen before. She stared him down.

"So make me smell like you," she said.

His lips were back on hers instantly as he practically dragged her through to the bedroom and flipped the lock on the door.

"Get undressed," he said to her, taking off his jacket and undoing a few buttons of his shirt. She did so and then stood naked in front of him as if to prove to him that she was his, that she had nothing to hide. He unzipped his pants as he stepped towards her, kissing her roughly before breaking away agan.

"Turn around and put your hands on the bed," he said dangerously. Kate thought she might come just from his _voice_. Screw Erik (maybe that was bad word choice) – Rick could turn her to jelly with just a few words in that tone. She did as he said and he ran his hands along her body before using them on himself. He shoved her legs apart with his knee and she looked down at the mattress, desperate for what was coming.

He pushed inside her and she let out a soft moan as he began to move, steadying her hips with his strong hands as he marked his territory. She wished she could touch him but she knew what he needed, and she knew she needed it as well. She needed to be reminded, as much as he needed to remind her, that she was _his_.

His clever hands moved to her breasts, massaging almost gently, almost kindly, causing her to arch her back and try to get more of him inside her. He moved a little faster, pushed a little harder, filling her and knocking the air out of her lungs with every thrust. The shift of her weight to just her left arm and the movement of her other hand to her most sensitive spot was close to involuntary, but Rick noticed and brushed it away angrily, replacing it with his own.

She was wonderfully close, beginning to see stars as he leaned forward and forced her head around so she was looking into his eyes.

"Keep them open," he warned her as her eyelids fluttered. She was unable to speak but she obeyed, her neck twinging as she kept it twisted to look at him, his eyes almost black with lust and anger. His touch was aggressive now as his hands ravaged her body, a finger still working her in time with the movement of his hips. Her ass rubbed against him, chafing on his pants and shirt as her whole body hummed, alive with pleasure.

She barely remembered to do as he told her, bright white light overtaking her vision as she shattered around him and cried out, a raw, animal shout of both ecstasy and a twinge of pain which only made her feel the pleasure more deeply. She could barely hold herself up; her shout finished him as well and he came inside her, his fingernails digging into her sides as he gave out a cry of his own.

When he was still again he pulled out carefully and lifted her to him, turning her round and kissing her softly, any anger left on his features converting to loving passion. She kissed back, her foggy mind barely recalling anything but that this was the man she loved, and he had just 'fucked her brains out'.

* * *

A/N: A lot of people have been asking for this so... here you go darlings. Please review. Or don't. No weird stuff. lol. Love you xxx


	8. Committed

A/N: This was 100% Jo's (starstruk79) plot. I hope this was what you meant, Mistress. (I'm her bitch...)

* * *

Committed

Kate bit her lip as she looked at Erik. He was so handsome... he reminded her of Mr Fantastic from the movies... she'd always found that idea rather enticing... stretchy limbs with hands that can get everywhere. And he was so complimentary, so flattering. She hadn't thought he would be interested in her. And neither had Rick. He had _laughed_. Actually laughed.

She wished he would flatter her. But now he was more interested in video games. She still loved him, she just... wished... she didn't even know. She wanted him to be comfortable with her, she wanted them to be at home with each other. It wasn't as though she never wanted him to play video games, or that she thought his mind should be on her all the time, but...

She had been wearing his shirt. Nothing but his shirt. She had looked HOT. She could tell, she knew she had, and yet...

He should have dropped everything. The fact that he hadn't... she didn't know what it meant, but it had to mean something.

And here was Erik. Giving her champagne, telling her how beautiful and clever and amazing she was, wanting her to be with him. He was so handsome, so clever, so impressive. She couldn't help that his presence made her stand up a little straighter and twist her fingers in her hair. Could she?

He took another step towards her; she could taste his fresh, minty breath. He leaned in and his lips touched hers...

* * *

…She grabbed him by the back of his shirt, her body twisting around his as she pressed herself against him and crushed their mouths together in a frenzy of lust and anger. Her pupils swelled; her eyes black orbs of desperation. He was surprised; he hadn't thought she would do this. But he was more than happy to go along. His limbs might not have been elastic but his hands were doing some pretty impressive exploring nonetheless. She moved back and took off her shirt. Erik grinned appreciatively at her chest. At least _someone _appreciated it.

She disposed of the rest of her clothes while Erik slipped neatly out of his. He was even sexy when he took his socks off. Kate bit her tongue in an excited smile. Erik grabbed for her again, those skilful hands finding her ass as his mouth attacked hers again, more confident now that he had permission. Very confident... used to being in charge. They battled for dominance as they shuffled towards the bedroom; she thought they would fall onto the bed but Erik lifted her at the last minute and positioned her under him – no tangling allowed.

She liked someone who was a match for her. She pushed at his chest so he rolled off her and she could climb on top of him; she closed her eyes and enjoyed his touch, his educated fingers finding every sensitive place on her body, making her squirm as she planted soft kisses on his neck and chest. She moved lower – he might not have been a superhero but he had a superhero's abs. And arms.

He tugged her back up, smiling as he took hold of her hips and positioned her; she raised herself then guided him inside her. _That _was the effect she wanted to have on a man. Straight away. He was hard and powerful inside her; he steadied her motion, still holding her hips. His thumb – so long, maybe it _was _elastic! - found her centre and before long she was teetering on the edge of something so _fantastic _she almost forgot to breath. She moaned softly as his thumb and body continued to work beneath her; her back arched, her head tipped back and she finally screamed, the involuntary name that tumbled from her lips without her brain telling it to.

She gasped.

But.. wait! Had she said 'Erik'? Or had she just said 'Rick'? And Which should she have said? She shuddered...

* * *

…They were on the floor. There had been a gunshot. Kate blinked. She must have been shaken by the fall. She stared at Erik. He looked very embarrassed. She had... She had pushed him away.

"Are you okay?" he asked, helping her up off the floor.

She nodded. She wasn't hurt. Physically.

* * *

They had caught the killer and Kate had just watched Castle cut the chord of his Xbox. She gaped at him, but laughed as he explained that it was symbolic. She thought about her 'dream' from the day before and smiled. Because she knew what she had said. She had said Rick. No matter how long someone's fingers were... It was Rick that she wanted. Always.

He flicked on his romantic music and she smiled at the beautifully decorated bedroom. He might make mistakes, but he did know how to make a woman feel special. He pulled her in for a kiss as her body hummed in anticipation of that full body massage. But she had to talk to him, they had to talk...

"Castle, where are we going?" she asked.

"To the bedroom," he said, his eyes twinkling as he led the way. She stared at him. How could he not get it?

Every question that she had put out of her mind, every chastisement she had given herself for even _thinking _about being with Erik seemed to rewind; her mind filled up with all the questions she had just managed to stop and she just looked at him, pain flooding through her as she wondered if she would ever get through to him. If he would ever know, if he could ever grow up, if they were doomed-

"Kate?"

He turned around and rushed back to her.

"Wait, what's... Oh God. You were asking something else, weren't you? I'm so sorry, I was so caught up in my plan to make up to you from the other evening, I really am sorry babe."

"Babe?" she asked, raising her eyebrows, but she was smiling inside.

"Again, sorry. You mean..." he took her hand and led her through to the bedroom, sitting with her on the bed.

"You mean, where are _we _going."

"Yeah," Kate said. "I just... We're acting wrong for where we are. Aren't we? It almost feels as though we're married, the way we are around each other, and in a way I like that, but we haven't even moved in together yet."

Rick kept eye contact while he thought about what she'd said. It was one of the things she loved about him, the way he talked to her, the way he made her feel when those piercing blue eyes looked into her soul. He might be a kid sometimes but he could be so deep...

"I don't want to rush you," he said to her. "I've been a jerk these last few days and there's no excuse for that. But I... You know I'm completely committed. Forever. Right?"

Kate nodded. "I mean... I think so."

Rick waited for her to say that she was too. But she didn't. She knew what he was waiting for, too. She thought about her horrible, disgusting daydream that made her feel sick – and she'd even been thinking mostly of him. The idea of anyone else touching her, of anyone else being with her, of not coming home to him, even when he was playing his stupid video games with kids in India...

She got up off the bed. He looked terrified – she quickly smiled and dropped down onto one knee. He gaped at her.

"You were the first one to say I love you," she said to him, taking his hand. "You were the one to believe in me for so long, to wait for me, even when I lied to you, even when I dated other guys because I was too scared to do what I should have done so long ago... You've stood at my side, let me get ready in my own time, and sometimes you can be such an idiot but... I love you. I don't even love you despite that. I love your personality. I love all of you, Richard Castle, and I want to show you that I'm committed too-"

"I know you are," he said. "Don't rush into this because you're worried about me, or because you feel bad, which you shouldn't, or because-"

"Let me finish?" she asked, raising one eyebrow. He chuckled and she looked up at him.

"Marry me," she said. It wasn't a question. He tugged her up onto his lap.

"Okay," he said. "Now... will you please let me give you your massage? I even did research online!"

Kate giggled as he helped her out of some of her clothes. He paused once her top was off.

"I think I owe you a bit of extra admiration," he murmured, lowering his mouth to her chest. She smiled widely as she felt his appreciation straining his jeans as well. He scooted her onto the bed and tugged off her shoes and then her jeans – which took some time – they were tight. He looked up at her as he pulled them down her perfect legs.

"You know I know what you're worth, right? This isn't just... I mean, I've always known. You're the most wonderful woman I've ever met and I am so lucky to have you," he told her.

"You're engaged to me now," she reminded him. "And I feel just as lucky as you do."

He took off her socks; the jeans were finally dispensed with.

"Get ready to get luckier," he said to her with a wink. But then he paused. He was standing beside the bed now. She turned to catch his eye.

"You just asked me to marry you," he said. "And I'm still being childish."

She reached out and took his hand. "Not overly."

"Or... materialistic."

"If you call my body simply material again it might go off you," she teased. "Look, I want you to grow up a bit. Sometimes. But not too much!"

A small smile crept to his face at her joke and he wound his fingers through hers.

"You're really all good?"

Kate laughed. "I kind of want my massage. But, yes, apart from that, I am excellent."

Rick leaned back down to her. "We're engaged," he whispered happily.

"I know," she whispered back. "But if you don't start soon, I might have to massage myself," she warned, her hand creeping down her stomach towards her panties. He grabbed it and kissed her fingers before _finally _putting his hands back on her. She sighed. She could get used to this...

* * *

A/N: Please review. And read Lady Beckett!


	9. Poker Face

A/N: I was thinking, as I spoke to someone, that maybe I should add another disclaimer along the lines of, don't try this at home...

With regards to this story – people have been asking for poker for a while and I decided to mix that in with a 'what if they got together in season one'. This is their rematch. For those gummy bears...

* * *

Poker Face

"I don't understand why we couldn't just play at the precinct," Kate said, unlocking the door to her apartment.

"I didn't want Montgomery catching you. And anyway, I thought you might want to be in a more private environment, in case you cheat again and we have to up the ante."

Kate made a face at him and put the little bag of gummy bears on the table. "Share them out and deal. I'm going to go and get changed, since I'm home."

Rick chuckled and began to snoop around her apartment; he'd never been there before. He liked it... He found a bottle of wine he liked the look of and uncorked it, pouring out two large glasses to breathe before they drank them. After a bit more exploring, he sat down at the table and shared out the gummy bears. They got nine each; there was one left over which he popped into his mouth.

Kate locked the bathroom door and listened to the click which resonated around the white tiles and porcelain. Why had she let him come here? She kicked off her heels and took off her smart business suit – she was tired and hot from her day at work. After some deliberation she took off her bra too, putting on a support vest in its place, followed by a loose t-shirt. She wasn't sure about the booty shorts but they were comfy, and Rick was the one invading her home – she could torture him with her legs if she wanted to. For a bit of a joke, she went back into her room and found some knee length stripy socks, pulling them on to complete the look. She sprayed on some deodorant and without thinking, some of her favourite cherry perfume.

Rick did a double take when he saw her but managed not to comment. She had hoped he would laugh; no such luck. She took her seat opposite him and eyed her glass of wine appreciatively, trying to ignore the tension which already vibrated around them. Rick shuffled his deck of cards again, then dealt out two cards each. Kate picked hers up slowly and assessed them, keeping her face completely still. She glanced at Rick; he wasn't giving anything away either. They each put forward a gummy bear and Rick dealt the flop. Kate put down another bear. Rick raised her; she called, and the turn and river followed. Rick added two bears to the pot. Kate raised an eyebrow at him.

"Confident, are we?"

"I don't like the lemon ones," he told her – the bears he had just put in were yellow.

"So you think you're going to lose them, them?" she asked.

"Just for that," he told her, "I'll put in my last strawberry one as well."

Kate laughed. His face, the feigned anguish and the pat he gave the tiny red sweet as he set it back on the table were so him, so childish and yet so funny, so silly and yet somehow... attractive. She could have kicked herself for even thinking that, especially at such a pivotal point in the game. She called with three bears of her own, and raised him one more after a furtive glance at her cards.

"Now that I think about it, I am glad we're here and not at the precinct," she said.

"Why? So you can distract me with your endless legs and... other things?"

Kate chuckled. "No... it's so that we have to play for real. No one to hide behind, no one to be embarrassed in front of."

"You're right," he told her, holding her gaze as he thought about betting another bear. "I like this one-on-one way of doing things."

Kate sipped her wine, then stretched, arching her back and feeling her loose shirt slip off her shoulder. The vest covered her, but there was a fair bit of skin exposed. She smiled, feeling the alcohol tingle through her. She lifted her leg to rest it on an empty chair and leaned against the back of hers, batting her eyelids.

"Want to raise again or are you ready for the showdown?" she asked a slack-jawed Rick. His elbow, which had been leaning on the table, slipped off and jolted onto his lap. He regained his composure and stared back at her, relaxing in his seat and tapping his cards with his finger. Kate leaned forward leisurely, knowing full well he was looking down her top and not caring in the slightest – in fact, if anything, she enjoyed the attention. There was something about poker... She added another bear to the pot.

When Rick finally unstuck his eyes from her chest, he picked up a bear to call hers with.

"It looks as though this is only going to last one round," Kate said, putting in her remaining three bears as Rick's piercing blues caressed her body, his pupils widening with black lust. Though his focus was completely gone, he managed to put in his remaining sweets. Kate couldn't help but be proud of what she was doing to him. She extended a sock-clad foot, pointing her toe so she could reach to stroke his thigh. She had no idea what had come over her, but whatever it was, she was enjoying it immensely.

Rick shuddered. Kate's next sip of wine emptied her glass; the size of it meant she'd had about a third of a bottle now. Rick gave himself a shake, sat up a little straighter, and offered to pour her some more. She told him she could manage, and tipped exactly half of what was left in the bottle into her glass, before adding the rest to his. Rick blinked, hard, and tried to think about poker. It was no good. Kate's mood was... something he'd never seen before. It was also incredibly infectious.

He didn't know what had changed, or what she wanted, but what she was doing, combined (for some reason) with those bizarre stripy socks, was driving him crazy. Kate bit her lip – which didn't help Rick at all. The way her teeth teased the full, sensitive flesh...

"So... let's see the cards then," he stammered.

Kate's mouth broke out into one of her priceless smiles.

"I suppose there's nothing left to do," she said, slowly turning her cards. Rick quickly flipped his over, wincing as he looked at hers. Wincing, until he realised he had won. He burst into childish laughter.

"I won!" he cried in shock. Kate laughed.

"Someone had to." _And you may have won at poker, but I beat you at everything else, _she added in her head. Rick was actually thinking much the same thing. He collected up his gummy bears; Kate watched intently as he swept them into an awkward pile. She took another mouthful of wine.

She didn't really know what she was feeling, and she tried hard not to let any of her thoughts show on her face. Rick had been following her around for a while now and keeping up a poker face in front of him had turned into a big part of her life. He was learning a lot about her, and she was getting to know him... she had turned him down after their first case but now... she was in the mood for fun, and they were past the stage of the one night stand it would have been then. She thought. He wasn't like that. She thought. She hoped. She wished...

He was so handsome. So adorable, clueless, so easy to play with... She had also discovered that he was kind. He was witty, clever, but sensible when he needed to be. For all that she called him a nine year old on a sugar rush, over the last few weeks he had really impressed her with his sensitivity and depth. And... there was just something about poker. No wonder people had invented a strip version. It was natural progression.

Rick tried to read what was going on in Kate's head but he just couldn't tell. He swallowed some more wine and wondered what to do. He had an idea, a plan, but it was more of a dream. And he valued their friendship more than that; he wasn't going to put it on the line just to... But she... she was biting her lip again, looking up at him through those long lashes, the elegant fingers of her left hand absent mindedly stroking her collarbone-

He got up so fast he almost knocked his chair over, but his stride over to her side of the table was nothing but powerful. He tugged her out of her chair and pulled her into his chest so hard the air was knocked out of her in a stunned gasp. Kate tipped her face up to his, his breath hot and heavy as she tried to read those lustful eyes.

Suddenly, he brought up his hand and popped a slightly warm gummy bear between her parted lips.

"I thought you might want one," he told her, letting her go and picking up a sweet for himself. She just stared, chewing slowly. She'd been sure she had the upper hand, but there was more power to Rick than he let on. She loved it. She wished he would...

"You know, gummy bears aren't really enough winnings," she told him. "For such an intense game, I mean."

Rick raised his eyebrows. "That's okay. I don't need anything else-"

She held up her hand and he stopped talking.

"Maybe you don't," she murmured to quietly for him to hear, her hands toying with the bottom of her t-shirt. "But I do."

She threw it off over her head. He just watched in awe as she ran her hands over her body, hooking her thumbs into the waistband of her shoots and scooting them off. She kind of wished she'd gone for the sexy bra rather than the slightly-odd-to-get-out-of support top, but Rick seemed to appreciate the jiggling. A lot. He had been creeping towards her, not really sure what he was allowed to do, whether he was allowed to touch... Kate bent down on one knee and slowly began to take off a sock but he knelt in front of her and took hold of her hands.

"Beckett, could you... leave them on?"

Kate looked down at the pink and purple stripy things on her legs.

"Really?" she asked quietly, not wanting to ruin the mood but almost wanting to laugh.

"They're fantastic," he said. "I mean, I'm not, I don't have-" he tried to explain, looking quite disgusted for a moment.

"Castle. I don't think you have a foot fetish. But even if you did, I wouldn't stop now."

Rick grabbed her upper arms and pulled her towards him. "That is the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me," he told her before kissing her with a frenzied passion that he had been holding in for weeks. Kate rocked backwards so she was sitting on the floor, parting her legs so he could come closer to her, hurrying to unbutton his shirt with her nimble fingers. He stood up to take off his shoes and pants; Kate stayed sitting on the floor, heart racing as she watched him give a little strip-tease of his own. She let out a light chuckle as he took his socks off, but that disappeared when his boxers did. She smiled admiringly; Rick looked charmingly flattered and proud. He bent down and scooped her off the floor in a fluid movement which caught her by surprise.

She had to direct him to the door of her bedroom, and would have been embarrassed that the clothes she had changed out of earlier were still on the floor, if she hadn't been so distracted by what his mouth was doing to her even as he lowered her onto the bed. She hadn't even made it that morning; they ended up in a bit of a tangle with the sheets, but nothing was stopping Rick now. He got up and tugged the comforter right off the bed, dropping it out of the way before returning to hold himself above Kate. He supported his upper body on his forearms; she hooked her feet (still in the socks he was so interested by) around his ass and pulled him down, wanting to feel more of him pressing on her, wanting him to get on with it!

He smiled at her desperation, something which she would probably regret revealing. She tried to pull back some of the 'poker face' but he was moving down the bed now, teasing the skin of her neck in his mouth with his teeth and tongue. She let out a little whimper when his mouth reached her chest; he used a hand to fondle the breast his mouth didn't, stroking her already hard nipple as she arched her back and her body begged for more. He obliged, trailing kisses lower and lower, playing with the elasticated edge of her plain white panties. She _really _had not been planning this.

"The socks more than make up for it," he said, reading her mind, addled as it was. As if to demonstrate this, and somewhat to her annoyance, he turned his attention to her legs. He was good, though, keeping a hand in just the right place, though still above her panties, to keep her gasping and trying to thrust herself closer to his fingers.

"If I told you we could do it more than once, would that help you to pick up the pace a bit?" she asked. He laughed throatily and brushed his hands up her thighs, caught her panties and pulled them off, then slid his hands up again and used the movement to push her legs wide apart. She reached down to stroke him but he stayed out of her reach, lowering his mouth, parting her silky folds with his finger. She didn't mind that he saw how wet she was for him – she was just happy he didn't know how perilous the situation had been several times at work in the last few weeks, and that was without even the prospect of him touching her.

He kissed and sucked, his tongue whirling inside her as he steadied her hips with his free hand. She moaned; he was such a fucking tease.

"Castle," she growled. She thought he was laughing... and the movement was almost enough to finish her. He closed his mouth around her centre and she screamed, a stream of choice curse words, some not even in English. That was impressive. Rick moved up the bed, wiping his face with the back of his hand. Kate recovered more quickly than she let on; when he thought she was still reeling, she flipped them over in one swift movement, then while he was still stunned, whipped off the damn socks and tied them around his wrists. He was half attached to the bed before he even noticed what she was doing. He gulped. His other arm was now tied to the bedpost. Kate trailed her fingers down it and across his chest, pausing to pinch his nipple before sneaking her hand lower and lower.

"Beckett..." he began.

"Don't worry," she said with a gleam in her eye. "I won't hurt you, Castle."

That wasn't what he had been going to say... honestly, he hadn't been going to say anything. He'd forgotten what most words even sounded like.

She waited until he was rock hard in her hand, kissing his neck while he strained against the socks. He wanted to grab her hair, to pull her mouth to his, to run his finger along that glorious collarbone just as she had done earlier...

She settled onto him moving painfully slowly. He wanted to grab her hips and control the pace, but at the same time, the way she was running her hands over him, gripping behind his shoulders, lowing her chest so he could almost catch her breast in his mouth-

She sat up again, the change in angle affecting both of them. She raised herself up and down, using her own finger to further her pleasure as Rick groaned beneath her. Watching her touch herself like this was enough to push him over the edge and they fell together this time, much quicker and dirtier when Kate was in charge. She grinned at him as she undid his bindings, he laughed as much as he was able before a wave of uncertainty flooded onto his face.

"I... Did you... I mean the socks thing, and I know I took things slowly at first but-"

Kate, having managed to keep a straight face until now, had to flash him a smile. He was just so cute.

"Castle. You were great. Relax." And then it was her turn to be worried. He pulled her into his side and held her close.

"Perfect," he told her. She smiled again.

"So... now what?" he asked, not wanting to pressure her but not sure what this had all meant. She had been saying no to him for weeks – why the change? He couldn't help but think that it might just have been a one night thing – and he didn't feel as though he had been completely on form – he should have been more aware of the fact that this was the night to win her over, that he wouldn't have another chance.

Wait. She had said... she had said they would do it again. Had she meant that night, or had she meant...

"Best poker faces," Kate answered slowly.

"Meaning?" Rick asked uncertainly.

"Meaning, I want to see you tomorrow night, but your cute little face isn't going to let on anything at work. Got it?"

Rick laughed with relief. "Got it."

* * *

A/N: lol, socks. You know who you are. Please review! xxx


	10. Rise of the Machines

_A twist on an open request from 5x23. Please review, as always!_

* * *

"Pervert!"

"That's Field Marshal pervert to you," Rick called, trying in vain with his remote control to dislodge the jacket Kate had thrown over the tank. He was about to give up when he heard the click of the bedroom door, and the lock – and saw Kate lift the jacket off the camera again. With a wicked smile, she held the toy up to her face, almost cradling it, then put it down on the bed.

Rick got up and went to the bedroom door, still holding the remote to watch his girlfriend, wondering what she was doing.

"You like watching me, Castle?" she mouthed at the camera. He gasped, and watched as Kate settled herself beside the tank, giving him a clear view of her whole body. He banged on the door.

"Okay, Beckett, I'm sorry, please let me in," he complained, pulling at the door handle. He heard her chuckle, but she didn't answer; instead she began to run her hand down over her chest, stroking her breasts. He saw her nipples pucker under the silky fabric of her top and felt himself harden just from watching her. He started to beat the door again; Kate turned to raise an eyebrow at the camera and he stopped... She wasn't going to let him in, and fuck it, this was hot...

He sat with his back against the door and watched as Kate shimmied out of that silky vest, arching her back to give him a better view. He ran his own hand over himself, feeling the ache strengthen as Kate began to slide her hands over her body. He pressed his ear to the door and could just hear her heavy breathing as her own hands did the things to her body which he loved to do himself.

Kate's fingers lowered to her stomach and Rick couldn't stop himself groaning loudly as one of her hands slipped underneath her only remaining garment. She turned to smile directly at the camera as she parted her legs more widely and her other hand made its way into her underwear as well.

"Please, Becks, let me in," he called.

"You could have come in earlier," she replied, her voice very controlled. She was telling him this was his fault, that he had started it and now she was going to finish it in a way to both pleasure and punish him. His hand found his cock again as he watched Kate work her fingers inside herself, moaning a little as she rubbed her centre.

She was biting her lip. She was showing him, too – she knew what it did to him. She closed her eyes and he hoped to God she was imagining him in there. He was.

She wasn't waiting for anything; this was not going to be a prolonged exercise. Suddenly she whipped off her panties with a movement Rick wasn't sure he had ever seen before, landing back on the bed with a thump which made the tank shake. She purred with satisfaction; he could see she was close to the edge. His fingers itched to touch her, his cock itched to be inside her, he could see so much and he wanted all of it-

She came spectacularly, putting on a bit of a show for him, he thought. He heard her cry out his name through the door, which brought him pretty close to the finish line himself. The convulsing of her body as the orgasm shattered through her didn't help either, and the little kiss she blew to the camera before she shoved the tank off the bed-

Rick increased the pace of his hand, closing his eyes as he pictured her around him, so focused he didn't even hear the door open or register her presence until she gripped his wrist firmly with her hand and kicked away the remote, which had fallen to the floor. She straddled him and lowered herself onto him straight away.

"Wouldn't want you to make a mess," she muttered in his ear as she clenched around him, using her hands to quickly remove his shirt and pull down his pants a bit further. He grabbed at any part of her that he could reach; she pressed their bodies closer as she moved up and down.

He came loudly, and his pouring into her was enough to make her come again, fluttering around him as bright white stars popped in her eyes. He steadied her; she might be quick at recovering but he could feel that she was a little shaky. When he had calmed down enough he guided her off him, at which she made a noise of complaint.

"You seemed happy enough without me before," he teased, helping her to her feet as he stepped out of his pants and led her back to the bathroom.

"You deserved it. And enjoyed it. But you know I'm happiest with you, writer boy, and that's never going to change."

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_If you think this one was for you, I accept pretty much any kind of gift, love, hugs, kisses, all that jazz. And, of course, I love you. _


	11. Game, Set, Match!

A/N: In honour of Wimbledon...

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Game, Set, Match!

This had been a really bad idea. Hot day, tight shirt, see through shorts... Rick was already regretting challenging his girlfriend to a tennis match at his sports club. Although he was a fairly frequent visitor to their world-class gym, he could count the times he'd been out on court in the last year on the fingers of one hand. But she'd heard that he played and hadn't let it go, and finally he'd agreed, stupidly teasing her that he might have to let her win.

Never one to let anything go, Kate had said they would turn it into a bet. The loser had to wear their tennis outfit to work on Monday. Though he wasn't completely out of shape, Rick knew he'd been fitter, and tennis whites where only flattering on the most muscular men. He'd only agreed to the bet because Kate, in bright orange booty shorts and a flappy white skirt, was enough to keep him happy for at least half an hour; all she had to do was stand and let him watch her.

"Because that's not pervy at all," she'd replied to this comment, going to the separate ladies locker room to put on the offending costume.

He'd sighed. There was something about sports bras that fascinated him; he'd never actually seen Kate put one on.

And now he was out on the freshly mown grass, adjusting his cap as Kate strutted out of the plaza. Her shorter, lighter hair, a summer style which he couldn't get enough of, was swept up in a high ponytail, and she flashed him a stunning smile from under the brim of her headband. She met him at the net.

"Still up for this?"

"Of course. In fact, why don't we raise the stakes?" _Why? Why?_

"What did you have in mind?"

"Winner gets to pick the band for the wedding."

"But we already agreed I get to pick-"

"You're picking everything."

"You're making me marry you."

"You want it too."

"So you say."

"Fine. You can have the band. If I win-"

"Oh just shut up and play, Castle, if you win I'll do whatever you tell me. Because you're not going to win!"

"You shouldn't be so confident. This is my club, I come here every week."

She winked. "Not to play tennis, though."

"Details, details. Really, anything?"

"Anything."

Deciding he could relish thinking of what he would make her do later, he picked up a couple of balls from the bucket at the side of the net.

"Do you want to serve first?" he asked, offering them to her.

"Keep your balls, Castle. You need them."

She moved slowly, letting his eyes follow her ass as she walked to her end of the court. She turned and leaned down, twisting her racket in her hands.

Kate knew full well Rick was looking down her top, but she was quite enjoying it. Despite the fact that their relationship was now public, she didn't get to dress up for him very much outside the bedroom. They didn't go to beaches where she could wear bikinis, they so rarely did anything where revealing outfits were appropriate. She chuckled. Perhaps the point was that she didn't want to be appropriate.

She did some admiring of her own. Rick wasn't the youngest, he didn't have a perfect body, but he had some nice arms under that white shirt, and his little white shorts really showed off his strong legs and the round curve of his ass. Since she'd said she'd marry him, he'd been working on the torso too, and it was abs, not fat, that stretched his shirt. He was a big man – but she was a tall girl, and she liked it. She didn't want to be with someone she was worried about hurting every time she was a little... powerful.

He threw the ball up and served, planting it neatly in the corner of the box. She returned, not as quickly as she would have liked, and he won the point.

"You make your sex face when you concentrate," she teased as he prepared to serve again. He hit the ball into the net.

"No heckling," he complained, collecting the ball to serve again.

He served more slowly and Kate grunted as she swung at the ball, slamming it into the far baseline. Rick couldn't be upset about the fact that she'd just won a point; the sound she had just made was stirring things in him that hadn't been stirred since... Well, since last night when she got out the ready whip, but that was beside the point. And it _felt _like that had been weeks ago. Months ago.

The game continued; they'd gone for best of three sets because of the heat, and Rick managed to bag the first set, though it was close. Kate pulled up the bottom of her top to wipe the sweat off her forehead. Rick was given a full view of her stomach and hypnotic bra...

The top went down; Kate had reached the bench and picked up her towel. She wiped her face and took a swig of her water. Rick joined her to do the same.

"Well played," he said, smirking.

"Shut up," she muttered, but she was smiling too.

Kate served first in the second set and seemed to be spurred on by losing the first to be far more aggressive in this one. She was ahead 5:3 in a flash, serving to win the set. Rick seemed... rather distracted in her service games. Even when she served almost at his racket, he had a lot of trouble returning. Or when they got into a rally, even, whenever she hit the ball he reacted... interestingly.

She was going to win. Rick just knew it; he couldn't concentrate on tennis when she was... Not only was she jumping about in those ridiculously tight and attractive clothes, not only was he getting a first class demonstration of what those legs could do... The sounds she made as she hit the ball were... so similar to sounds he could produce from her in very different circumstances that he was wondering more and more if perhaps the two sets of circumstances were going to have to be aligned.

She didn't seem aware of it at all. If she was she was the cruellest woman alive; those smiles she flashed him, the twinkle in her eyes... He was desperately thirsty, a thirst water just couldn't quench.

She prepared to serve for the final point of the match, and again she let out a moan worthy of-

He didn't even bother to try and return the ball. Instead, he walked towards her, straight around the net, threw down his racket and grabbed her in a sweaty, desperate kiss. She melted into him almost immediately; her racket hit the grass too and her hands slid under his shirt. His tongue explored her mouth and she let out another moan; she finally made the connection and kissed him all the harder.

The sun beat down on the court; it was incredibly hot. Kate felt Rick's hands in her hair, ripping out her scrunchie and dispensing with her headband. His cap was gone already; she pushed him away so she could pull off his shirt. She struggled with hers and had to laugh as her breasts jiggled out of her sports bra.

"Still my favourite item in your wardrobe," Rick muttered as he leaned down to kiss her breasts, wet with sweat, nipples already puckered with arousal. There was that moan again; he let out one of his own just at the sound. He moved to kneel in front of her, ignoring the hard surface that dug into his knees, his kisses trailing lower and lower until they were interrupted by her skirt. He tugged it down and helped her out of it, but after a few kisses just shy of where she liked them most, Kate moved down to be on the ground with Rick, capturing his lips again and letting his fingers go where his mouth had been.

Her hands were busy tugging at his shorts, which were under a lot of strain, but he brushed them away. Kate sighed with pleasure. He always made her go first, because she could – and because he could make her, because she would agree. He liked having a little control, and while she'd never voice it, she liked that he had it.

His hands were parting her legs now, long fingers finding a dripping wetness that wasn't just sweat. Kate pressed her hot body against his, enjoying the friction of them so close together, forcing two of his fingers deeper inside her. She began a steady rocking motion, releasing a tennis-like groan each time he brushed her centre. She gripped his shoulders now to keep her balance; she parted her knees wider and he twisted his hand to rub her harder.

Her eyelids fluttered; she was so close. She sucked on the skin by his neck, fireworks dancing in front of her as the sun almost burned her skin. She came loudly - she knew he liked the noise - shattering over his hand. Still trembling with aftershocks, she roughly pulled his fingers out of her and reached for his shorts, quickly pulling them out of the way. He was so ready.

She turned around, not hugely keen to lie on the hard surface, and also aware that this way was tighter, better for him. She didn't mind it either. She leaned forward, turning her head back to give him a wink. He pushed into her, grabbing her hips, loving that she liked it, sliding one hand forward to grab her breast. She didn't think her arms could last much longer; he seemed to know and moved more quickly.

Soon he was doing some moaning of his own, less attractive than a woman's, Kate thought, though she said so herself. Her arms buckled pretty much as he came, but he tipped them back and guided her onto his lap, his fingers finding her until she screamed out his name.

They collapsed side by side on the hard packed earth letting the sun seep into their endorphin-filled bodies.

"You know," Rick said with a grin. "If you'd used my name when you hit those balls, you'd have won the first set too."

They met another couple as they walked off the court; they were lucky Rick had booked it for three hours. The woman looked at their grazed knees and palms, and grass stained clothes.

"Rough match?" she asked.

"Very," Kate said. "And we never actually finished."

"I think we completed enough," Rick chuckled, patting her ass. Kate rolled her eyes.

"Have a good game," she said to the couple.

"Yeah, sorry if the far end's a bit scuffed. We may have taken a tumble."

This earned him a hard pinch on the arm when they were safely in the locker room. Rick laughed more.

"You're still going to shower with me," he said as they collected their things.

"I am not. Why would I?"

Rick deftly swiped her bag and hurried into the men's room with it. "Because I have your stuff," he said simply.

"You may have _had _my stuff," Kate said, raising her eyebrows. "But you're not having it again until you give me my bag back and let me go shower."

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A/N: Apologies for the bad jokes. They were just so Castle, I couldn't resist. Please review! And well done Andy! x


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